Guantanamo Bay

The first U.S. presence on Guantanamo Bay, was a Marine battalion that camped there on June 10, 1898, and the first American casualties of the Spanish-Cuban-American War were two marines killed there the following day. Guantanamo Bay is a 45-square-mile American naval base located at the southeastern tip of Cuba, a nearby communist country in the Carribbean. The U.S. has leased the land for the past century although Cuban leader Fidel Castro does not recongize U.S. claims to the land. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. moved about 600 captured prisoners to Guantanamo Bay. Most have remained there for the past two years without being charged with crimes or being even hearings, prompting international and domestic criticism of the Bush administration. The administration contends that they are dangerous enemy combatants being detained and interrogated legally and humanely during the ongoing war on terrorism. The Supremem Court will soon decide whether the detaineed should have access to the U.S. federal courts. The status of the detainees is an important current issue and one that gives us the oppourtunity to examine the clash between the need for safety and security and civil liberties during wartime. (http://www.pbs.org/newhour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/world /guantanamo.html) This profile was made at Whateverlife.com! :)